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Your Business - pg. 14
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June 2016
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ome-based businesses have
increased in the past five years.
Many entrepreneurs have launched
out on their own without proper knowledge
on how to start their own business. Majority
of smail business owners are not focused on
the menial tasks involved.
Whether you're an entrepreneur, freelancer
or work from home, you need a workspace
that accommodates your overall office needs.
The first step in managing a business is
the organizational process. When you run a
business, it should not run in dysfunction. A
cluttered office is known to decrease energy,
motivation and enthusiasm. It also enhances
frustration and stress.
You need to be at the top of your game. It,s
time to transform your work area from orga-
nized chaos to an office haven.
Technology is one of the leading develop-
ments for any t)?e of business to run effi-
ciently. Understanding your specific business
needs lvill help you make wise, cost-effective
decisions when purchasing office equipment
and software.
Mobility is King
Long gone are the days ofbeing chained to a
desk. In this ever-changing phase oftechnical
advances, mobiiity is a necessity. Ensuring
that your website is visible on mobile devices
is critical to your business since potential
By Yolanda Berry
customers or clients are
using mobile devices to
access products and services.
Having a smartphone or
android also provides unlim-
ited communication options
and provides promotion and
marketing anaiysis at your
fingertips.
Tablets are the new lap-
tops. The sleek design makes
it easier to transport anlwhere and provides
all the functions that a laptop provides minus
the accessibility of USB ports. Although these
timely portable devices are convenient, it does
not eliminate the use of laptops or desktops.
In many cases, desktops are still needed,
especially if youve decided to open a design
or photography business. A large monitor is
essential for pumping out those visually aes-
thetic projects. When you're deciding what top
priority is, you need to consider your overall
needs which will also save you time and mon-
ey in the long run.
Go All in with Comfort
While running a home business, you can
easily become complacent with the minor
details. With the long-term effects of back,
neck, wrist or eye strain, you must ensure that
your workspace is comfortable and properly
aligned. Ergonomics is mandatory to your
overall health. As simple as it may seem,
it's often overlooked until a
health issue arises.
Here are a few things
to consider for your home
office:
w Sit or stand desk that can
be electronically elevated for
optimum performance.
w Padded chairs made of
suede or leather with a vari
ety of seating positions with
wheels for mobility.
e Proper lighting: a vari-
ety of natural sunlight and
artificial light with the option of utiliz_
ing blinds or shades to block out glare.
w Office location should be preferably
away from traffic, family and other dis-
tractions. It helps if you can work in a
serene environmenl.
Setting up Your Workstation
An organized workspace also consists of
correct placement or arrangement of equip-
ment and furniture in your location. For exam-
ple, reaching for office supplies that block the
printer area or ciimbing over boxed inventory
can be a hazard or a workman's compensation
case ifyou have employees.
Your workspace should be clear of clutter.
Each item should have its own home and there
should be a designated space for ali office
equipment. A carefully pianned space will
enhance productivity. Simple things like refer-
ence books or files shouid be properly placed
on a book shelf or file cabinet.
Just as one would function on a 9-to-5
scheduie, you should adjust your home office
to accommodate a traditional work environ-
ment. However, you have the freedom to
create a space that represents your business
or personal style. Dont forget to add beauty to
your space: An abstract painting or variety of
hanging, table or floor plants can make a tre-
mendous difference and create a welcoming
atmosphere.
Color and design is equally important.
Selecting vibrant wall paint will elevate the
appearance and also enhance your mood. you
can either go bold, neutral or subtle. The color
Continued on page 42
www.homebusinessmag.com
40 Home Business, May/June 2O16

3. S.rrldi{}r;jii:;r ir:n,il &'l*tJdlr',ltl/*'j{* :}*# *{}$:l{}rln*{,1irr
Continued from page 40
vibration ls according to your individual taste
and personality. When considering design,
do not forget to incorporate texture. Three-
dimensional, organic art pieces add interest.
Dont overlook the materials that office fur-
niture is made from. Whether it consists of
wood, glass, acrylic or some other raw materi-
al, it should complement the space.
Digital Space is Relevant Too
There are a variety of online resources that
are helpful in organizing your finances, taxes,
recordkeeping, time-management, work pro-
cesses and daiiy tasks. You ought to seek out
the appropriate software tools that suit your
needs.
Here are a few online resources that will get
you started and keep you on the right track:
Invoice generator:
wu'lv.sendowl.com or wrt w.batchbook.com
Time Management:
wvw.Teamwork.com or wwwevernote.com
Time Tracking:
wv,'lv.myhours.com or wwwtoggl.com
Digital Filing Made Simple
Itt best to start out with an organized
email management and a digital file system.
Understanding how to properly name documents
and files, once your venture begins to grow sets
up your business for success. Although adjust-
ments and changes can aiways be made, having a
unified digital space in the beginning will elimi-
nate frustration down the road.
Your files should be easily retrieved and
have a cohesive, systematic order when saving
information. Utilizing caps is helpfui when
creating digital folders. Subfolders should also
be categorized for simple retrieval. Once you
har.e a method that works, stick to it. Nothing
is worse than trying to find information that
even the search bar cannot seem to locate.
Cloud management is an option, but ensure
that you back up all documents and files in
multiple iocations to ensure online safety and
off-site access for business trips and short-
term travel engagements. .$l$i5l
Yolancla Berry pens 0nLife content for smal! buslnesses, non-proflts,
ministry outreach pr0grams afd creative entrepreneurs. She also
asslsts in the concept development and implementation in a variety
0f genres She maftains four bogs related t0 small business, an
& desiglr, spirtual growth afd deveL0prnent and fashion/beauty
topics, Her wrtinq interest nc udes commercial c0p.^rvriting, small
business 82B, eCommerce writing, creative copy, and non{ction
She enloys mostly an,fiing with substance and grlt that grabs the
hea( cha enges the mind and empowers the sou. For business
nquir es, please email: yolandaberry@hotmail.c0m
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After you score your first few clients or
sales, it is crucial to have a strong handle
on your business operations. Many new
business owners have no idea how to
schedule their client's work, manage time,
or create professional invoices. Here are
useful tech tools to consider:
The Hardware
Once you stad bringing in revenue,
upgrade to a better laptop to use at home,
and a tablet to use during client meetings.
When buying hardware for your freelancing
business, go for high quality vs. grabbing
what's on sale, so it will have a longer
lifespan.
lf it's something that will spend its entire
life in your office, go for a desktop with
a snappy microprocessor and oversized
monitor. lf mobility is your thing, you'll want
a thin laptop that weighs next to nothing.
lf you'll be meeting face-to-face with
customers, choose something versatile,
like a 2-in- 1 Yoga laptop from Lenovo.
The Software
Nothing beats great software -here are
four favorites for you to utilize:
Evernote
Evernote is the "it" app for home business
owners. lt allows you to store notes,
images, PDFs, audio clips, and web pages
into files and folders known as notebooks
and stacks. Your notebooks are synced
across all of your devices and can be
easily searched, retrieved, and edited.
Trello
Managing tasks can be a nightmare, so a
powerful organizer is a must-have. That's
where Trello comes in. With Trello you
can create project boards, add columns
of task cards, and attach files, pictures,
comments, deadlines, and labels to said
cards. Cards can be easily dragged and
dropped within (and across) categories,
making it incredibly simple to organize
your freelance projects.
Dropbox
You should never rely on your hard drive
for your client files - that's just asking for
trouble. A cloud-based storage service is
every freelancer's best friend, and Dropbox
is definitely the cream of the crop. With
Dropbox you can access and share your
files anytime, anywhere, and on anY
device.
Toggl
When you're billing your clients by the
hour, you need a dependable time tracking
app. Toggl is a handy web-based software
that allows you to effortlessly create, start,
and stop timers for project tasks. You
can categorize your tasks by ciient and
mark them as "billable." You can then use
Toggl's reports feature to pull together
professional-looking PDFs or CSVs for
invoicing your clients. ;
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